Colloidal particles have been studied in wide ranging technical fields such as material science, chemistry, and biology, and are used in many application areas such as food, inks, paints, and coatings.
Among them, monodispersed polymer colloidal particles, such as polystyrene (PS) spheres and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) spheres, have attracted much attention. Exceedingly uniform spheres may be produced by a process called emulsion polymerization. Such polymer colloids are widely used as templates for 2-dimensional (2D) or 3D arrays, and other applications. However, this method is often tedious in that it requires strict process control. Furthermore, surface of the polymer spheres prepared is passive and further processing is required for surface modification of the spheres.
In view of the above, there is a need for improved methods to form colloidal particles that address at least one of the above-mentioned problems.